Lucky Liar (Lucky Alphas)

LUCKY LIAR is the first instalment in Mallory Crowe’s contemporary, adult LUCKY ALPHAS erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on a group of former friends from Birdsville, Ohio. This is thirty-one year old, billionaire businessman Wade Maxium, and twenty-six year old, waitress Zoe Young’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspective (Wade and Zoe) LUCKY LIAR follows the marriage of convenience between thirty-one year old, billionaire businessman Wade Maxium, and twenty-six year old, waitress Zoe Young. Zoe Young needed a quick influx of cash, and blackmailing billionaire and former Birdsville, Ohio alumni Wade Maxium was the perfect foil for her misplaced plan, a plan that went south with Wade’s offer of marriage and more. What ensues is the marriage of convenience between Wade and Zoe, and the potential fall-out as demons from the past demand payment for what happened years before.

Zoe Young accidentally discovered a secret about Wade Maxium’s past, a secret that could destroy his life but a secret known only to a few. Zoe, desperate for money to help pay for her mother’s continuing cancer therapy, soon discovers that blackmailing a billionaire isn’t as easy as set out to be. Wade Maxium’s sins have finally caught up with our story line hero, sins that involve several former friends whose actions, years before, have come back to haunt. Exposure would mean ruin, blackmail continues to be an on-going theme for the group known as the Lucky Lions.

The relationship between Zoe and Wade begins as a business arrangement following the wedding that never was. To avoid public humiliation after being left at the altar by an international model and star, Wade offers Zoe a deal she cannot refuse, a deal that would see her mother’s bills covered, and a two year contractual marriage to the man with whom she would fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive but I struggled to feel any palpable sexual attraction between our leading couple due in part to Wade’s verbal treatment of our story line heroine.

We are introduced to Wade’s former friends and the group known as the Lucky Lions: headhunter Harper Jones, singer Shane Collar, and businessman Leo West: Wade’s sister Sarah Maxium; and Zoe’s younger brother DJ , and their mother Diane Young. The requisite evil has many faces including Wade’s ex-fiance supermodel Tara.

LUCKY LIAR is a cautionary tale of betrayal and revenge when past sins resurface without warning. The premise is riveting; the romance is passionate; the characters are wounded, sassy and spirited. LUCKY LIAR does not end on a cliff-hanger but keeps open the prospect of continuing threats for the remaining Lucky Lions.

Copy supplied for review

A marriage of convenience, one that was supposed to solve both their problems, becomes very complicated. Zoe finds evidence of a possible crime and despite her naivety, decides that she can use it to solve her problems. Wade, on the other hand, is horrified when Zoe states that she has evidence on his past, but he has his own set of problems. One look at Zoe tells him that she is no match for him when it comes to negotiating and he sets his own rules. However, once the lid comes off and the contents are spilled, there is no way of putting things back the way they were. This is a romance with a mystery to be solved and some drama. Despite his domineering manner and winner takes all attitude, Wade is nevertheless a likable character and the fact that he is able to change says a lot about him. Zoe is scared and naive, but she has gumption and even though her status changes, she remains true to herself and wins the approval of those around Wade. Thomas is delightful, and every woman needs a friend like him. This book is part of a series and although Wade and Zoe’s story is a standalone, the story ends on a note that leaves an opening for a follow-on. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Alpha Male Strikes a Deal.
Zoe attempts to blackmail a wealthy businessman in order to fund medical treatment for her mother and a day later finds herself married to him! Wade Maxium is a man who knows what he wants and goes for it; what he wants is a deal with the Chinese which will net him millions and obtaining a temporary wife will erase the humiliation of being jilted by his supermodel fiancée. A good start to a new series, with interesting characters and a marriage of convenience which becomes real. As the action takes place over a very short period I was pleased that there was an epilogue.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.